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<head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>Rust license in binaries · general · Zulip Chat Archive</title></head>
<h2>Stream: <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/index.html">general</a></h2>
<h3>Topic: <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html">Rust license in binaries</a></h3>

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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226232430" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Chris Denton <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226232430">(Feb 13 2021 at 07:38)</a>:</h4>
<p>Do I need to embed the Rust (MIT) license in standalone binaries that may be distributed without the user building from source? Currently I include the MIT license notice because of other crates I depend on but I admit I hadn't even thought about Rust itself.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226233452" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> scottmcm <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226233452">(Feb 13 2021 at 08:06)</a>:</h4>
<p><span class="user-mention silent" data-user-id="260325">Chris Denton</span> <a href="#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries/near/226232430">said</a>:</p>
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<p>Do I need to embed the Rust (MIT) license in standalone binaries that may be distributed without the user building from source? Currently I include the MIT license notice because of other crates I depend on but I admit I hadn't even thought about Rust itself.</p>
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<p>Generally your binaries are not derivative works of the compiler (even the FSF agrees on that one), so not for that, but the situation is more complicated with libraries that are compiled in, like <code>std</code>.  I don't see how it could hurt to include it -- especially if you're already including others -- but as always any actual advice would require talking to your own attorney.</p>
<p>An interesting resource: <a href="https://rosenlaw.com/oslbook.htm">https://rosenlaw.com/oslbook.htm</a></p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226233771" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Chris Denton <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226233771">(Feb 13 2021 at 08:15)</a>:</h4>
<p>Thanks! The resource looks very useful. I'll almost always be including licenses from third party crates so this is not usually a big deal. But I have made small utilities for personal use that have no dependencies outside the standard library so if I did ever distribute these in binary form I'd need to remember specifically about including the std license.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226261049" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Thom Chiovoloni <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226261049">(Feb 13 2021 at 18:56)</a>:</h4>
<p>There was a discussion about this in the past on IRLO (sorry, I don't feel like digging, but you're welcome to) and the outcome was: Yes, you need to include the license for libstd/libcore.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226265855" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Lokathor <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226265855">(Feb 13 2021 at 20:40)</a>:</h4>
<p>technically you even need to include the license for all dependencies of the standard library too.</p>
<p>it's an absolute mess</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226277093" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> scottmcm <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226277093">(Feb 14 2021 at 00:27)</a>:</h4>
<p>This might actually be something the foundation could help address.</p>
<p>It could at least make a statement about promising not to take action against binary distribution of parts of std compiled in from running rustc.  (Though that's not completely relevant as rust doesn't do copyright assignment.)</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226291213" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Chris Denton <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226291213">(Feb 14 2021 at 07:46)</a>:</h4>
<p>Hm. It would be handy if there were a simple license text file somewhere that gathered them together</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226325479" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Josh Triplett <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226325479">(Feb 14 2021 at 21:23)</a>:</h4>
<p><span class="user-mention" data-user-id="260325">@Chris Denton</span> Yeah, I think that's the ideal solution. "Include this file and you're covered".</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226325494" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Josh Triplett <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226325494">(Feb 14 2021 at 21:23)</a>:</h4>
<p><span class="user-mention" data-user-id="125270">@scottmcm</span> I agree. Hiring a contractor for that work makes sense.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226325893" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Jonas Schievink  [he/him] <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226325893">(Feb 14 2021 at 21:32)</a>:</h4>
<p>Is it sufficient to include this as part of the software documentation or does it need to be part of the distributed binaries?</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226327533" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Josh Triplett <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226327533">(Feb 14 2021 at 22:02)</a>:</h4>
<p>It just needs to accompany the binary, not necessarily be embedded.</p>



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<h4><a href="https://rust-lang.zulipchat.com#narrow/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust%20license%20in%20binaries/near/226327636" class="zl"><img src="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/assets/img/zulip.svg" alt="view this post on Zulip" style="width:20px;height:20px;"></a> Josh Triplett <a href="https://rust-lang.github.io/zulip_archive/stream/122651-general/topic/Rust.20license.20in.20binaries.html#226327636">(Feb 14 2021 at 22:03)</a>:</h4>
<p>(Though that'd be an interesting idea: we could have a sysroot crate with the license text as a string.)</p>



<hr><p>Last updated: Aug 07 2021 at 22:04 UTC</p>
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